It remains uncertain whether India will adjust their lineup to include wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the fourth Test against England in Manchester. Meanwhile, former cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed strong support for young Washington Sundar, calling him a “genuine all-rounder for many, many years” to come.
Sundar has gradually become a familiar presence across formats under the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir. His recent rise in prominence is largely credited to Gambhir’s confidence in the 25-year-old over the past few months. Even former India spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin has acknowledged Gambhir’s high regard for Sundar.
Washington Sundar: India’s Rising All-Rounder Poised for Greater Role
With every opportunity that has come his way, southpaw Washington Sundar has made the most of it. In a recent Test, he compiled a composed 23 runs off 76 balls with solid technique in the first innings. In the second innings, he dazzled with his bowling craft, returning impressive figures of 4/22 in 12.1 overs, though India fell short by 22 runs.
Former head coach Ravi Shastri, impressed by Sundar’s multi-dimensional skills, strongly advocates for him to develop into a genuine all-rounder in Test cricket for years to come.
“I always loved Washington. When I saw him on day one, I said he’s the man. And he can be a genuine all-rounder for many, many years for India,” Ravi Shastri said on The ICC Review.
Sundar made his Test debut during India’s historic 2021 win at the Gabba against Australia. However, after that series, his chances in red-ball cricket became limited. Ravi Shastri hopes Sundar will receive more opportunities, citing his past performances and ability to trouble batsmen on turning tracks.
“He’s just 25 years old. I think he should have played much more Test cricket. He can be lethal on Indian pitches, as New Zealand discovered during their 2024 tour, where he was joint top wicket-taker with 16 wickets in four innings. He out-bowled some senior spinners. He bowled very well, and he can bat,” Ravi Shastri added.
During his debut, India were injury-hit, and Ravi Shastri turned to Sundar for the Gabba Test, where he scored a fluent 62 under pressure, helping India secure a historic victory. Sundar followed up with unbeaten knocks of 85 and 96 in subsequent home series against England. Despite batting mostly at No.7 or lower in 10 of his 11 Tests, he maintains a strong average of 38.92 with four half-centuries.
“He’s a naturally talented batsman. He’s no number 8. He can bat at six very soon,” Ravi Shastri noted.
Shastri also believes Sundar’s impact won’t be confined to subcontinental conditions. He expects the youngster to be valuable overseas, recalling how Sundar took crucial wickets of Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Jamie Smith at Lord’s.
“Once he gains confidence, he’ll keep improving. Even overseas, he has drift, pace, finger strength, and fitness to bowl long spells and control the game,” Shastri said.
Sundar’s inclusion adds depth to India’s batting while offering an extra bowling option. It remains to be seen if India will adjust their setup to accommodate wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the upcoming fourth Test in Manchester against England.
India’s squad for the fourth Test: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj.
England’s playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.